MINDFULNESS is a Buddhist-based concept and practice which is increasingly being incorporated into Western psychological and psychiatric practices. It is the seventh of the eightfold path taught by Siddhartha Gautama.Herein is shared a few thoughts on mindfulness, psychotherapy and happiness from a study done by Dr. Latchman Narain, Ph.D. (Psychology), Director/Family Counsellor from the Anger Management Centre Of Toronto, Inc.
Mindfulness is being happy, with present moment awareness of what is happening inside of you and as well as your surroundings, relaxing into the moment to find joy, with a non-judgmental, accepting and compassionate attitude. It is the energy generated as a result of present moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, perceptions and also one’s outer environment.
This energy focuses on having your mind or consciousness present in whatever you are doing. It involves slowing down in order to do so to be fully present in whatever activity you are participating in.

Awareness of one’s breath is usually the first step to being mindful because this brings your mind to the present moment. If this is done early in your day, then you can periodically return to this state from time to time, with stress reduction as one of the benefits. The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. Most of the time in our everyday lives, we live mindlessly, moving from one activity to the next and not stopping “to smell the roses”. As such, we have to remind ourselves to be mindful as much as possible.

Judgement refers to looking at the behaviours of others and ascribing negative labels to those that may be different from your expectations. You use your values and behaviours as the acceptable standards; others are seen as deviations from what is supposed to be your right perceptions and beliefs.

Acceptance in this context does not mean resignation or weakness of character. It means that you are not expecting circumstances to be different, that you are not resisting the flow of events. You accept “what is” as the first step to change it. You accept the “suchness” of things and circumstances. Acceptance can also mean that you are aware of what is within your control and what is outside of your control and you are comfortable with that. Acceptance is usually a sign of psychological or emotional maturity.

Mindfulness also implies that you are not looking for happiness in some future time, but accessing your inborn capacity to be happy in your present circumstances. You are able to find happiness in the ordinary happenings of everyday life, in the miracles of the ordinary, so to speak. For examples, mindful breathing, eating and walking can be sources of joy, if done with the spirit of awareness. Awareness as in mindfulness can transform the activity into a source of joy and eventually happiness.

A short story may be instructive. The Buddha was once asked, “What have you gained from meditation?” And he replied, “Nothing. However, let me tell you what I have lost: anger, anxiety, depression, insecurity, fear of old age and death.” This is a type of freedom based, not on what you have but on what you do not possess…what is reduced or missing in your life, freedom from…but powerful nonetheless.
There is a saying that life has its moments…some happy, some not so happy. These usually go together. Mindfulness will help you to increase the former so that you can manage the latter better.

Being mindful is a source of happiness; it is a powerful way of being which is different from the doing mode of existence. So much of our lives is spent in the “doing” mode that we think that we also have to do something to relax and be happy…often adding more stress to our otherwise busy lives. Let us remember that we are “human beings” not “human doings”.

What about goal achievement? Is this not a path to happiness? These are two questions that are frequently asked. In my view, achieving your positive goals can bring joy into your life; joy, however, is not the same as happiness. Joy is a transient feeling, happiness is more long lasting. Feelings of joy can serve to promote feelings of happiness; this is the nexus.

To conclude, while mindfulness promotes happiness, it is important to note that it is not hedonism in the sense of sensual self-indulgence. The focus of mindfulness is to bring more joy and balance into your life by developing present moment awareness, non-judgmentally and with compassion and acceptance.